NFL TV Schedule 2016: Week 12 Live Stream, TV Coverage Map and Game Times

There's good news for NFL fans who are looking to eat themselves into a food coma and pass some time watching football over Thanksgiving: three of the most watchable Week 12 matchups fall on Thanksgiving Day. 

The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions kick things off with an NFC North showdown in the afternoon, followed by a late-afternoon NFC East tilt between Washington and the Dallas Cowboys. 

If you're still awake (and possibly reheating your leftover turkey dinner) at 8:30 p.m. ET, the Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the Indianapolis Colts. 

Unfortunately, the weekend slate of games falls off noticeably in watchability, but there's still no better way to pass the time at your in-laws' house than by watching some football. 

Here are the TV coverage maps for this weekend's games, courtesy of 506 Sports: 

Below is all the information you need to know about the TV schedule for Week 12, as well as some picks and previews for the must-watch matchups on the slate:   

Date	Time	Away	Home	TV	Pick
Thursday	12:30 p.m.	MIN	DET	CBS	Vikings
Thursday	4:30 p.m.	WAS	DAL	Fox	Cowboys
Thursday	8:30 p.m.	PIT	IND	NBC	Steelers
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	TEN	CHI	CBS	Titans
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	JAC	BUF	CBS	Bills
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	CIN	BAL	CBS	Ravens
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	ARI	ATL	Fox	Falcons
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	NYG	CLE	Fox	Giants
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	LA	NO	Fox	Saints
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	SF	MIA	Fox	Dolphins
Sunday	1:00 p.m.	SD	HOU	CBS	Texans
Sunday	4:05 p.m.	SEA	TB	Fox	Seahawks
Sunday	4:25 p.m.	NE	NYJ	CBS	Patriots
Sunday	4:25 p.m.	CAR	OAK	CBS	Raiders
Sunday	8:30 p.m.	KC	DEN	NBC	Broncos
Monday	8:30 p.m.	GB	PHI	ESPN	Eagles

Must-Watch Matchups

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions, who haven't won their division since 1993 (when it was called the NFC Central), haven't had a Thanksgiving Day game this relevant in years.

Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press

Sure, the Lions have enjoyed some success in recent Thanksgiving matchups; their 40-10 stunner over the Green Bay Packers in 2013 is probably still turning some Packers fans off the taste of their turkey dinners. 

But this year, the Lions head into Thanksgiving Day tied for first place with the Minnesota Vikings at 6-4 and with a real shot to take the division in this topsy-turvy year in the NFC. 

Detroit won the first meeting between these two teams in Week 9, so there's a lot riding on the win for both teams. If the Lions win, they'll hold the tiebreaker over the Vikings.

If Minnesota, which broke its four-game losing streak and could go on a run, can come away with the win, the Vikings will have undisputed first place in the NFC North.

Washington at Dallas Cowboys

Uncredited/Associated Press

The Cowboys hold a commanding lead in the NFC East at 9-1.

In fact, Dallas' nine wins are more than any other NFC team, and the Cowboys are well on their way to earning home-field advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs. 

Washington isn't sitting quite as pretty, heading into Week 12 with a 6-3-1 record that puts it at third place in the division. 

However, two of the teams that lead their divisions in the NFC (Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons) are doing so with 6-4 records, and Washington is feeling good coming off a blowout win over the Green Bay Packers. 

So there's still plenty of season left for it to make a splash, and this NFC East showdown could be a fantastic opportunity to do so. 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts 

The Steelers and the Colts are both sitting in second place in their respective divisions heading into Week 12, but not by much. 

The 5-5 Steelers are tied with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, with the Ravens prevailing 21-14 in the first meeting between the two teams in Week 9. 

The 5-5 Colts, meanwhile, are one game behind the 6-4 Houston Texans in the AFC South and have put together a two-game win streak. 

However, this will not be a meeting between Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger. Luck, who is in the league's concussion protocol, will cede his start on Thursday to backup quarterback Scott Tolzien, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported:

Roethlisberger has destroyed the Colts the last two times he has faced them, throwing for 886 yards and 10 touchdowns in those games.

Without Luck, the Colts offense has little hope of keeping up if Roethlisberger continues at that rate. 

Coverage maps for all Week 12 games can be viewed at 506 Sports. Team stats and rankings courtesy of ESPN.com, unless otherwise noted.

All out-of-market NFL games can be live-streamed via DirectTV's NFL Sunday Ticket.